Courage to Advance: Breaking the Burnout Cycle: How Leadership Behaviors Impact Workplace Stress

In today's episode of Courage to Advance, brought to you by SparkEffect, Kim Bohr and Tracy Wik, VP of Business Strategy at Harrison Assessments, challenge traditional approaches to workplace stress. Drawing from decades of behavioral data and leadership experience, they expose how burnout often stems from unconscious behavioral patterns rather than workload alone.With 83% of U.S. workers suffering from workplace stress and 76% saying it affects their personal relationships, organizations continue investing in wellness programs and workload reduction—yet engagement and productivity still suffer. Why? They're treating symptoms, not causes.Kim and Tracy demonstrate how our greatest strengths—whether being extraordinarily helpful, highly empathetic, or achievement-driven—can become our biggest derailers when overused. Drawing from Dr. Dan Harrison's research on leadership paradoxes, they reveal how balancing seemingly contradictory behaviors is essential for sustainable leadership success.You'll discover:Why high performers unknowingly sabotage their effectivenessThe critical difference between personality traits and behavioral tendenciesPractical strategies for breaking the burnout cycleHow to develop a more expansive leadership repertoireDon't miss the special offer for listeners to access the Harrison Assessment tool, complete with a professional debrief. Additional resources, including a self-reflection guide, are available at CourageToAdvancePodcast.com. To access the episode transcript, please search for the episode title at www.TheEmpathyEdge.com"People don't work in aggregate. They work in moments, they work in conversations, they work in individual connections." - Tracy Wik, VP of Business StrategyEpisode References:Self-Defeating Behaviors that Kill Good Work: The Leadership Triangle by Dan Harrison, Pd.D.The Benefits of Employee Engagement: Gallop 10th-meta-analysis researchLeadership Bermuda Triangle Assessment: 15 Warning Signs of Team Misalignment & Performance About Tracey Wik, VP of Business Strategy, Harrison Assessments: A disruptive talent management strategist, Tracy Wik transforms how executives view their workplaces and careers. With over two decades of experience, she sees beyond spreadsheets to unlock human potential, helping leaders reimagine what's possible. A recognized speaker on strategy, culture and women's entrepreneurship, Tracy developed innovative executive coaching programs to advance women into senior leadership roles and serves as a Founding Forty Board member of DePaul University's Women's Entrepreneurship Institute, the only research-based women's accelerator globally. Her mission: make executives love Monday mornings by turning workplaces from soul-crushing machines into engines of human possibility.About SparkEffectSparkEffect partners with organizations to unlock the full potential of their greatest asset: their people. Through their tailored assessments and expert coaching at every level, SparkEffect helps organizations manage change, sustain growth, and chart a path to a brighter future.Go to sparkeffect.com/edge now and download your complimentary Professional and Organizational Alignment Review today.Connect with Tracey Wik and Harrison Assessments:Harrison Assessments: harrisonassessments.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/traceywikConnect with Kim Bohr and SparkEffect:SparkEffect: sparkeffect.comCourage to Advance: sparkeffect.com/courage-to-advance-podcastLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sparkeffectLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kimbohr Connect with Maria: Get the podcast: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake my LinkedIn Learning Course! Leading with EmpathyLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceThreads: @redslicemariaAchieve radical success putting empathy into action with Businessolver. Techlology with heart, powered by people. https://www.businessolver.com/edge